Engine.



No. 841,229. PATENTED JAN. 15, 1907.

T. 00mm.

- ENGINE.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 12, 1905.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

722 Ellllllll il lllilllllllllli w "mm 'No. 841,229. PATENTED JAN. 15, 1907.

T. GONLIN.

ENGINE.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 12, 1905.

8 SHEETSSHEET 2.

PATENTED JAN. 15, 1907.

T. CONLIN.

ENGINE.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 12,1905.

3 SHEETSSHEET a.

ventor Attorney sm NQ! uw N V 1W, Q Q\ V 4 Q VDQWX @N j .7; @r 5 N3 1 v Q l f 9Q \\uW.n mm \m r. bm N a .1 M hm kw V q R. n W H m N. N. my. 9% w V m m us fi% m f Q? i u w w 4 1,1 A 7 05/? i m, aw aw? N m 7 mm u w rod.

PATENT Enron.

THOMAS CONLIN, OF MOUNT SAVAGE, MARYLAND.

ENGINE-r Specification of Letters Batent.

Patented Jan. 15, 1907.

Application filed July 12, 1905. Serial No. 289,380.

T0 at whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, THOMAS CoNLIN, of Mount Savage, in the county of Allegany, State of Maryland, have invented certain new and usefulImprovements in Engines, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates specially, but not exclusively, to steam-pumps in which the actuatingmember or piston of the pump is driven by an expansive fluidsuch, for example, as steam.

My invention belongs to that type of engine shown in-United States Letters Patent No. 707,904, issued to me August 26, 1902. In that patent means are shown for automatically cushioning each stroke of the piston, and thereby preventing its pounding or straining the cylinder-heads of thecylinder in which said piston works.

The object of my present invention is to make provision, and particularly in compact structure requiring comparatively little space for its installation in service, for the combination in one machine of a plurality of cylinders, with their respective pistons, and valve mechanism common to the several cylinders for automatically effecting the interposition of air-cushions for the purpose specified. By this arrangement provision is made for the iminterruptedly-co'ntinuous operation of a pump in service, it being practicable by my invention to shut one pump out of service for the'purpose of repair or renewal of its parts without bringing the entire machine to a standstill. This is a point of considerable practicable importance, because without such provision it is necessary to either interrupt the operation of the engine fed by the pump or to provide an additional pump for plex form, the cylinder being disposed vertically, as in the patent aforesaid. Doublevalve-actuating mechanism is shown, the set in the foreground being in full lines and the other being shown partially in dotted lines. The piston-rod in tl;e foreground is partially broken away to expose its companion piston- Fig. II is a section on'the line II II of Fig. IIIthat is to say, a vertical transverse section, as of Fig. I, taken in a plane adapted to illustrate the relationships of the several working parts of the machine, some of the parts being shown in elevation. section on the line III III of Fig. II, some of the parts being shown in elevatlon and some Fig. III is a of the parts which are shown in Fig. I being broken away. F IV is a. section on the line IV IV of Fig. I I. Fig. V is a section on the line V V of Fi III. Fig. VI is a view corresponding to lg. II, exhibiting one of the pistons s ut out of service, but showing that position of the ports of the main valve which under such condition affords provision for the continued operation of the remaining pistons.

It is deemed worthy of notice that Figs. II, III, IV, and VI, although placed upon their respective sheets in positions to correspond with Fig. I of the drawings, serve also clearly to indicate the horizontal disposability of my machine, which is as available as a machine of the vertical type illustrated and which would be in many instances preferable.

Referring to the numerals on the drawings, 1 indicates a cylinder provided with heads 2 and 3, adapted to accommodate a piston 4, from which a piston-rod 5 extends through a stufiing-box 6 in the cylinder-head 3.

8 indicates a second representative of any plurality of cylinders provided with heads 9 and 10, a piston; a piston-rod 12, and stuffing-box 13. The cylinders 1 and 8 are preferably duplicates one of the other and included in a single casting.

15 indicates the flat face of the cylindercasting wherein the-cylinders 1 and 8 are incorporated, against which in a convenient and preferred arrangement and assemblage of the parts the face .16 in the main-valve shell 17 abuts and is secured in a steamtight joint.

18 indicates a cap-plate fitted by a tight joint against the face of the main-valve shell 17, corresponding and opposite to the face'16 thereof. Into the cap-plate 18 enters a steam supply pipe 19 through branches 20, 21, and 22. I The branch 20 being provided with a shut-0E cook 25 communicates with a port 26, which being in effect continuous through the shell 17 and the cylinder-casting communicates with the interior of the cylinder 1 on one side of the piston. 4. The pipe 22, provided with a shut-ofi cook 27, communicates with the 33 indicates a common exhaust-port em ployed for the exhaust of both the cylinders '1 and 8 and from each side of each piston thereof through the respective ports 26, 28, 31, and 32 as the performance of their several functions requires and permits.

The valve-shell 17 is provided with a bore for the commodation of a reciprocatory valve 36, whose function it is to afford operative communication between the source of fluid-pressure supply by way of the ports 26, 28, 31, and 32 to the respective pistons 4 and 11, as well as to the common exhaustvport 33,- through the operation of the machine. To that end it is provided with a pair of annular ports37 and 38, formed in its outer wall, which may be denominated by reason of their. function of supplying fluidpressure from the ports 26 and 32 and 31 and 28 alternately and in pairs, as specified, the main-valve supply-ports. 1

In addition to the supply-ports the main valve is provided with a series of exhaustports 40, 41, 42, and 43, each of which consists of radial apertures penetrating the wall of the valve 36 intoits bore or hollow center, the valve 36 being hollow and preferably a cylinder. Without other provision than that afforded by the presence of the ports to 43, inclusive, the valve 36 would be adapted to the performance of its function, provided its op osite ends be suitably closed to separate its ore from the bore 35 of the valve-shell in which it Works. It would then and in that case be adapted to accommodate the, shifting positions of the valve supplyports 37 and 38 with reference to the common exhaust 33 in such manner as to make the said exhaust serve for the discharge of spent steam from both of thecylinders 1 and 8 and from either side of their respective pistons 4 and 11 through the several ports 26,

I 31, 32, and 28, as the shifting position of the valve 36 necessitates and provides for. I prefer, however, to provide, snugly fitting within the valve 36, an oblong shut-off member or sleeve 45, having closed ends 46 and.

47 and a stem 69. The sleeve constitutes, inefiect, a movable lining to the bore of the valve 36, by Whose rotation the ports 26 and 28' may be separated, partially or entirely,

from communication with the interior of the.

shut-off member, or, in other words, the interior of the valve 36, at will. It is for this purpose provided with apertures 50, 51, 52, and 53, which are disposed normally to register with the ports 40, 41, 42, and 43 of the valve 36. Opposite the apertures 51 and 52, respectively, are correspondingly disposed apertures 54 and 55. There are none oppo-' site the apertures and 53. Consequently if the shut-off member be at any time rotated so as to substitute the apertures 54 and 55 in the place of the apertures 51 and 52 such rotation will shut out of communication with the bore of the valve 36 the orts 40 and 43, as is clearly shown in Fig. I of the drawings, whereupon it will be obvious to one skilled in the art that the cylinder supplied by the ports 26 and 28to wit, the cylinder 1-will be put out of service without I interruption of service of the cylinder '8,

which is served by the ports 31 and 32. By

partial rotation of the sleeve constriction of the several ports 40 to 43, inclusive, of the valve 36 may be efiected.

The valve-shell 17 is provided at opposite ends with heads 60 and 61, respectively, the

latter being provided with an aperture and stuffing-box 62 for theaccommodation of the valve-stem 48. The shut-off member 45 .is confined within the valve 36, as by, prefer .ably, removable heads 64 and 65, the valve stem 48 being preferably made integral with the head 65. The head 64 of the valve 36 is preferably provided with a coaxial set-screw 66, which limits the reciprocatory movement of the valve 36 in the direction of the head 60. The valve-stem'48 is hollow to accommodate within it a loosely-fitting stem 69, belonging to the shut-off member or sleeve 45 and by which said member may be actu ated when required. The valve 36 being reciprocatory and the sleeve 45 rotative, I provide means for limiting the movement of the valve 36 to endwise movement, which may consist, as shown in Figs. I and II, of a pin 70, secured to and projecting radially from the valve-stem 48 into a slot 71, elongated in a direction parallel to the axis of movement of the stem 48 and formed as in a stud-plate 72, screwed to the valve-shell head 61. or otherwise fixed upon a stationary part of the machine. The end of the stem 69 projecting beyond the end of the valve-stem 48 is provided with a head 73 and jam-nut 74, by aid whereof the stem 69, with its sleeve 45 attached, may be adjusted and secured when and as required. The head 73 is preferably a side-fiatted nut threaded to the end of the stem 69, so that it may be removed when required for disassembling the parts. For a similar reason the pin 70 is preferably carried upon a removable collar7 5, detachably for their movement upon the fluid supplied to their respective cylinders 1 and 8, I pro- A auxiliary valve for control of fluid-supply to the interior of the shell 17 at opposite ends of the valve 36, said auxiliary valve being operative with each stroke of the pistons or either of them. The auxiliary valve, as clearly shown in Figs. III, IV, and V, may be mount ed in its separate shell or case 77, bolted to one side of the shell 17. (Compare particularly Figs. I, III, and IV.) It is provided with a bore 78, preferably of circular contour in cross-section, which is closed at its opposite ends, as by screw-plugs 79 and 80, and

.into which enters a branch pipe 81, leading,

preferably, from the main supply-pipe 19. From the bore 78 sup ly-ports 82 and 83 lead to opposite ends of thebore-of the shell 17, and an exhaust-port'8'5 leads (com are Figs. III and IV) to the common exiiaust 33. Communication between the supply-pipe 81, the ports 82 and 83, and theexhaust-port 85, as required, is controlled by the auxiliary valve 86, previously alluded to. It is provided with suitable ports to accommodate it to its function, which preferably include a common supply-port 87, (see Fig. IV,) com- .municating .near its opposite ends, respectively, with delivery-ports 88 and 89. An intermediate exhaust port 90. separated from the ports 88 and 89, is provided, of sufficient longitudinal extent to span either of the supply-ports 82 or 83 and the exhaustport 85. When the valve 86 is shifted to ward the )lug 79 a proper distance as to the position s own in Fig. IV, it brings, through its several ports above described, the supplyport 83 into. communication with the supplypipe 81 and shutting off the deliveryort 88 establishes communication through t e port 82 with the exhaust. A reverse movement of the valve 86 converts the port 82 into a supply-port and the port 83 into a dischargeort.

A preferred means of actuation of the auxiliary valve is clearly shown in Figs. '1 and III of the drawings. The means referred to preferably include a shaft 95, carried in stuffing-boxes 94 and 95 in a bore 96, provided for its accommodation loosely within theshell17 and case 77.' (See Fig. III.) To said shaft 93 (see particularly Fig. V) is adjustably fixed, as by set-screw 97, a wing 98, whose head 99 works in a box 100, provided for it in the body of the auxiliary valve 86. A chamber .101 within the case 77 and an oblong aperture 102 are provided for the accommodation of the wing 98 with its requisite movements. The supply-pipe 81 preferably communicateswith the bore 78 of the case 77 through. a cap-plate 103, bolted or otherwise secured to the said case. Rocking movement'of the shaft 93, through which, by aid of the wing 98, it communicates reciprocatory movement to the auxiliary valve 86, may be imparted through suitable mechanism connecting it with the piston-rods 5 and 12. With that purpose in view the shaft 93 is provided upon its opposite ends, respectively, with adj ustably-fixed Y s 105 and 106. (Compare Figs. I and III.) Between and against the arms of the Y 105 vibrates a pin 107 of a crank 108, and in like manner between and against the Y 106 vibrates a pin 109 ofa crank 1 10.. Thecrank 108 is fixed to the end of a rock-shaft 111, carried in a bracket-support 112, secured to a fixed part of the machine, and the crank 110 is in like manner secured upon a corresponding stud-pin 113. The rock-shaft 111 is actuated by a depending lever 115, fixed to its outer end, while the stud-pin 1 13 carries a sleeve 1 16, which unites the crank-arm 110 with a lever 1.17. The lever 117, deriving motion from the pistonrod 5, is connected with it in such manner that when the said piston-rodis at a certain point in its stroke it imparts motion to the said lever. The mechanism illustrated for the purpose consists of a link 119, pivoted, as

indicated at 120, to a collar 12.1, adjustably A secured to the piston-rod 5. The link119 is provided with a slotted frame 122, which resite extent, serves at pro er intervals to ac tuate the lever'117 and t ough it the valve 86. The lever is actuated substantially in like manner as the lever 1 17 through reciprocation of the piston-rod 12, with which it is connected, as by link 125, having a terminal slotted frame 126, corresponding to the frame 122, a pin 127 working in the slot of said frame and an adjustable collar 128 upon the piston-rod 12. The port 26 is provided with a shut-off valve 130, which Works in a shell 131 in the cylinder-casting and is provided with a stem having a square head 132 for operating it. The port 28 is provided with a corresponding shut-off valve 133, working in a shell 134, provided with a square head 135.- The ports 31 and 32 are in a manner corre sponding to the ports 26 and 28 provided with shut-off valves 136 and 137.

' The operation of my. machine may be briefly described as follows: Steam orother expansive fluid under pressure being admitted through the supply-pipe 19 and its several branches 20, 21, and 22 finds admission to the interior of the cylinders 1 and Sand imparts motion to the pistons therein. The foregoing statement is correct, being based upon the assumption that the valve 36 must be in either one or the other of its two working positions, which it would of necessity occupy when the machine is in working order. Upon movement of the pistons with their respective piston-rods 5 and 12' motion is imparted to the links 119 and 125, respectively, whereby actuation at regular intervals dependent upon said movement is imparted to in turn communicates reciprocatory motion to the auxiliary valve 86, by which reciprocatory movement is imparted to the valve 36 5 and the motion of the machine rendered continuous so long as there is an adequate supply of driving fluid. If at any time it be desired to interrupt the operation of one of the pistons without interruption of the o eration roof the other piston, steam is closed omthe branch pipes and 22 or 21, as the piston selected for interruption of movement may require. Ifthe piston selected for interruption is the piston 4, the shut-oil" sleeve 45 is turned to the position within the valve 35 shown inFig. VI, and the shut-off valves 130 and 133 are also turned to the osition shown in that e to prevent discharge by leakage into t e cylinder. If the piston of cylinzo der 8 is selected for interruption of its operation, the sleeve 45 need not be turned; but the shut-ofi valves 136 and 137 may be de pended upon with the shut-off of the branch supply-pipe 21 to put the cylinder '8 and its piston aforesaid outof service. By partial rotation of. the sleeve 45 any. desired constriction of the ports 40, 41, 42, and 43 is obtainable, by which means of constrictin the exhaust according to the principles set orth a in the patent above referred to the desired cushioning of the respective pistons may be effected. The jam-nut 74 affords convenient means for securing the sleeve fixedly inany position to which it may have been adjusted. 1

What I claim'is- 1 1 1.. In an engine, the combination with a plurality of double-acting cylinders, their pistons and means of supply and exhaust, of

a slide-valve common to said cylinders provided with automatic means of constricting the exhaust alternately for each stroke of each-piston.

2; The combination with aplurality of cylinders, their pistons, a valve-shell, a pair of ports communicating with each cylinder and-with the interior of the valve-shell, a supply-port and a common exhaust also communicating with the interior ofthe .valve-shell, of: a movable slide-valve, rovidedwithmeans for alternately establis 'ng communication between the two ports of each pair of ports communicating with the respective cylinders and the supply and theexhaust respectively and means" for constricting the exhaust against each stroke of each piston.

3. The combination with a. plurality of double-acting cylinders, their pistons andmeans of supply and exhaust, of a valve controllin the communication of the pistons with t e means of supply and exhaust respectively and means within'the valve for constricting the exhaust from each cylinder. 4. The combination with a plurality of ling double-acting cylinders, their pistons and means of supply and exhaust, of a valve controlling the communication of the pistons with the means of supply and exhaust respectively, and adjustable means within the valve for constricting the exhaust from each cylinder. i J

5. The combination with a plurality of double-acting cylinders, their pistons and means of supply and exhaust, of a valve controllin the communication of the pistons with t e means of supply and exhaust respectively and means within the valve for constricting the exhaust adjustable independently of the movement of the valve.

'6. The combination with a plurality of cylinders, their istons and means of Sn ply and exhaust, o a single valve controlling said supply and exhaust to therespective cylinders, and means for shutting out of service one or more of the cylinders, at will.

7. The combinationv with a plurality of cylinders, their pistons and means of su ply and exhaust, o a single valve contro llng said means of supply and exhaust to the respective cylinders, and means 'for shutting out of= service any one or more of the c linders from the supply and exhaust at wil 8. The combination with a plurality of cylinders, their istons and means of su ply and exhaust, oi a single valve controlling said means of'supply and exhaust to the re' spective cylinders, and means for shutting out of service part of the c linders from the supply'and exhaust at wi l, a part of said means being within said valve.

9. The combination with a plurality of cylinders, their pistonsand means of Sn ply and exhaust, o a single valve controlling said means of supply and exhaust to their respective cylinders, and means for shutting out of service any one or more of the cylinders from the supply and exhaust at will, said means of shutting off being adjustable independently of the movement of thevalve.

10; The combination with a plurality of cylinders, their pistons, and supply and exhaust ports, of a single valve controlling said supply and exhaust ports, and a sleeve within said-valve provided with a ertures adapted at will to register with sai exhaust-ports.

11. The combination with a plurality of cylinders, their pistons, and sup ly and exhaust ports, of a single slide-va ve controlsaid su ply and exhaust ports, and an adjustable s eeve within said valve provided with apertures adapted to register with said exhaust-ports.

12. The combination with a plurality of cylinders, their-pistons, and supply and exhaust orts, of a fluid-actuated slide-valve contro 'ng said supply and exhaust ports, an auxiliary valve controlling the admission of fluid to said slide-valve, means for actuating said auxiliary valve, and a sleeve within sleeve within said valve provided with aperr' tures adapted to register with said exhaustports, and shut-ofi valves controlling said to supply and exhaust ports. In testimony whereof I have hereunto signed my name in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

THOMAS CONLIN. Witnesses: 1

.CHARLES GoETz, PATRICK BARRETT. 

